Teaching Secularism in France: Mission Impossible?

FOCUS © FRANCE 24

The French cabinet has approved a new bill to “strengthen republican values”. Even though it was already in motion, it gained new impetus after the beheading of French history teacher Samuel Paty, who had shown the caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to his students during a lesson on free speech. The brutal murder shows how difficult it can be to teach children about the issues of secularism and freedom of speech, as well as the pressure that parents put on teachers and the lack of education and support from schools. Salomé Saqué, Jonathan Walsh, Karim Yahiaoui and James Vasina report.

Program developed by Patrick Lovett

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